Free OLSAT Level D Test Online Preparation: Practice OLSAT 3rd Grade Sample Questions & Tips – 2025

What Is the OLSAT Level D Test?

3rd graders attempting to enroll in a gifted and talented program will likely have to take an aptitude test. One common aptitude test is the OLSAT Level D Test, which stands for Otis-Lennon School Ability Test. The purpose of this test is to measure the cognitive abilities of children in 3rd grade by requiring them to answer questions with unfamiliar information. Many of the OLSAT Level D questions require children to use problem-solving skills to identify patterns between shapes and similarities between words. Starting in 3rd grade, the questions and instructions will no longer be read out loud to the students. Instead, 3rd graders will be required to read through the questions and answers themselves. This means that your child needs to have acquired a developed reading ability.

What Are OLSAT Level D’s Test Sections?

Unlike lower-level OLSAT tests, the OLSAT Level D test is more difficult and harder. 3rd graders will be required to answer 64 questions, including 32 nonverbal questions and 32 verbal questions. Additionally, 3rd graders will only have 50 minutes to complete both test sections. This means that children have less time to answer more questions when compared to the OLSAT Levels A-C. Keep in mind that your child is now responsible for reading the instructions and questions to themselves, which should be accounted for within the test time limit.

Verbal Section

The Verbal Section will consist of 32 questions spanned across eight subsections. With the additional number of subsections, parents need to recognize that more emphasis is being placed on a child’s verbal skills. These verbal sections will include antonyms, sentence completion, sentence arrangement, arithmetic reasoning, logical selection, word/letter matrix, verbal analogies, and verbal classification.

• Antonyms: Antonym questions require students to not only understand the definition of a word, but also be able to identify a word with the opposite meaning.
• Sentence Completion: 3rd graders will read a sentence that includes a missing word. Based on the meaning of the sentence, students will choose a word from the answer options that accurately completes the sentence.
• Arithmetic Reasoning: 3rd graders will look through pictures or numbers that follow a numerical rule. Based off that rule, 3rd graders will determine the relationship and choose an additional picture that matches the relationship.
• Sentence Arrangement: 3rd graders will be presented with a collection of words, and will need to place those words in an order that forms a logical sentence.
• Logical Selection: 3rd graders will use simple logic to complete sentences involving everyday scenarios.
• Word/Letter Matrix: A matrix filled with either words or letters is presented to the 3rd graders. The students will need to fill in the last empty box with a word or letter that best completes the matrix.
• Verbal Classification: 3rd graders will see a group of words, but one of the words will not belong. Students will figure out the similarity between the words and identify the odd one out.
• Verbal Analogies: 3rd graders will see two words that are related to each other. They will then see a third word and will need to choose one word from the answers that holds the same relationship.

Nonverbal Section

The Nonverbal Test Section will also consist of 32 questions spanned across seven subsections. Nonverbal questions take advantage of numbers and figures to test a child’s cognitive abilities. These nonverbal sections include pattern matrix, figural classification, figural series, figural analogies, number series, number inference, and number matrix.

• Figural Classification: 3rd graders will notice five figures, but only four of the figures will be similar to each other. 3rd graders are responsible for identifying the single figure that does not fit in with the rest.
• Pattern Matrix: 3rd graders will see nine boxes evenly split across a 3×3 table. Eight of the boxes will be filled with patterns or sequences that follow a predetermined rule. 3rd graders will choose an answer that fills the ninth box and completes the sequences or patterns.
• Figural Analogies: 3rd graders will first be provided with one image. Then they will see an additional five images, but only one of the images will match the first image. They will need to choose the image that matches the first image.
• Figural Series: 3rd graders will see a progression of four shapes that follow a rule. The students will discern the rule and choose a fifth shape that matches the series progression.
• Number Series: 3rd graders will recognize a pattern within a number or letter sequence, and will choose a number or letter that completes the sequence.
• Number Inference: 3rd graders will be tested on their ability to discern relationships between number groupings.
• Number Matrix: Similar to the Pattern Matrix, 3rd graders will see nine boxes evenly split across a 3×3 table. The boxes will be filled with numbers, and students will need to fill the ninth box with a number that matches the pattern.

How to Read OLSAT Level D’s Score Report?

Although the OLSAT Level D Test has more questions than previous OLSAT exams, the score report is the same. 3rd graders will have their scores calculated and compared with other 3rd graders, but only with 3rd graders that are close in age. This means that your child will not have their scores compared with a 3rd grader that is a year older than them. In order to be placed into a gifted and talented program, your school may require your child to score within the top 1 to 3% of 3rd graders.

• Raw Score: Initially, 3rd graders will see a sum of their actual number of correct answers over the number 64. This is just their result of accurate answers.
• School Ability Index (SAI): Afterwards, the 3rd graders’ raw scores are compared with one another. The result from this comparison is the SAI score, which is shown as a number up to 150.
• Percentile Rank: Lastly, the SAI score is turned into a child’s Percentile Rank, which is provided as a percentage. This percentage is the final score that notifies you of how your child performed compared with other 3rd graders.

OLSAT Level D Test Tips

1. Take the time to read through the explanations. After the completion of a practice exam, you may be tempted to skip over the explanations. However, the explanations are actually vital in understanding what the questions are asking of your child. Explanations also provide useful tips and tricks for acing the exam. Take the time to read through every explanation. It could make all the difference for your child.
2. Repeatedly practice weaker areas. Once your child has completed a practice exam, it will be easier for you to recognize which testing areas are more difficult for them. Repeatedly practice the weaker areas until your child no longer struggles to answer those questions. Sometimes, children simply do not understand what they are being asked to do. Work with your child to understand their problems with certain areas, and then help them overcome those problems.

How to Prepare for the OLSAT Level D Test?

As the children grow older in age, the OLSAT exams will continue to grow harder. The OLSAT Level D is the first time students will be required to read their own questions and instructions to themselves. Some children who have not yet mastered the language, they may find this task daunting. This is especially true for children that read at a slower pace than other children. Because this test is timed, they will not have a lot of time to re-read through the questions. In order to overcome this obstacle, children should be prepared with online practice exams. Practice makes perfect, which means that the more times your child takes a practice exam, the more likely they are to ace the actual test. 3rd graders will also be answering more questions from the verbal section of the OSLAT exam. Don’t let your child become overwhelmed with the new information and tasks. Make sure they have adequately practiced with online practice exams in order to score high on the OLSAT Level D Test.